Water front retaining wall and method of construction



Mara]: 31, 1959 D. H. HAYDEN 2,

WATER mom: RETAINING WALL AND m-zmon 0F CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 12, 1953 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. fiAV/p wn/m 1544mm March 31, 1959 D. H.- HAYDEN 2,379,647

WATER FRONT RETAINING WALL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 7

United tates Patent WATER FRONT RETAINING WALL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION David Homer Hayden, Sarasota, Fla., assignor to Beach g6 Shore, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New or'k Application February 12, 1953, Serial No. 336,539 9 Claims. (CI. 61-49) The present invention concerns a water front retaining wall and method of constructing the same, and refers more particularly to improvements in the wall of my Patent No. 2,525,547, comprising a wall, a novel pile for the wall, a novel relation of the other elements of the wall to the pile, a novel selection and sequence of successive operations by which the wall is constructed.

It is usually necessary to employ a cofier dam when building foundations of piers or walls below water level, and such a dam is also sometimes necessary in constructing concrete piles for a wall.

I An object of the present invention is the provision of a concrete wall and method of constructing the same which can be built without the use of cofier dams, caissons, footings, or other such equipment.

A further object is that the work may proceed for a reasonably long period of time, despite the rise and fall oftide.

Another object is that the wall shall be substantially as rigid and sturdy as if built with the aid of a coffer dam.

An important object is economy of material and labor in the construction of the wall.

In accomplishing the objects of, the present invention, I prefer to use precast reinforced concrete planks and reinforced concrete piles, the lower portions of the piles being precast. The lower portions further have slots extending vertically on opposite sides, and may be jetted into position, and the planks then slid into the slots, also being jetted if necessary. The top of the lower portion is substantially at one quarter tide level, and the top plank engaged in this lower portion projects upwardly by about half the width of the plank.

The remaining planks are then set in position and the upper portions of the piles, as well as landward extending heels, buttresses and top coping if desired, are poured around the planks and become integral with them and with the lower portions of the piles.

The work is scheduled so that the pouring commences whenthe tide is three quarters out, and since the top of the lower pile portion is at one quarter tide level and further since the poured concrete is substantially all above or at this level, the lowest part of the poured concrete has about three hours to dry before the returning tide willreach it.

' Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter be pointed out. The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elementsand arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions and methods hereinafter described. In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a precast lower portion 7 ice Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the wall.

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 6 but showing the wall supported by spaced pile portions between which are the planks illustrated as being broken away.

Fig. 8 is also a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing how each of the spaced piles in Fig. 4 is provided with a slab like heel. portion 25. 7

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the wall 10 comprises a plurality of spaced piles 11, the latter comprising lower portions 12, eachv such portion comprising the precast concrete body 13 whose height is substantially half the height of the wall. Body 13 comprises the elongated substantially vertically extending main portion 14 and the rib portion 15 integral therewith and extending rearwardly therefrom. Steel reinforcing rods 16, 17 are cast into the body 13 and constitute the re-- mainder of. lower portion 12 of pile 11.

Main portion. 14 is formed with the vertically extending grooves or slots 18 on opposite sides thereof.

In building a wall according to the present invention, the lower portions 12 are jetted to a depth at which their top surfaces 19 are substantially at one quarter tide level, that is, one quarter of the distance up frommean low tide level 20 to mean high tide level 21.

By jetting is meant the conventional practice of sinking, an object into, the earth by directing a powerful stream of'water against the earth below or immediately adjacent the object. The earth is washed away by the stream and the object settles by gravity. In jetting a pile, a hose or pipe is used with a nozzle at the lower end. The nozzle is close to the pile and may be pointed so as to wash away earth under the pile. Sometimes it is necessary to operate the jet all around the pile in order to wash away the underlying earth and permit the pile to sink to the desireddepth.

Precast concrete planks 22, 23 are then engaged in the grooves or slots 18. of the adjacent portions 12, with the assistance of jetting if necessary. Other planks 2d are further engaged in the slots 18, projecting for about half their height above the body portion 13. The above described work should either be scheduled for comple-v tion at the time the tide is three quarters out so that work may continue from. such point, or work may be interrupted and recommended at one quarter tide level of ebbtide.

Substantially as a single continuous operation beginning at quarter tide level of ebb tide, a siab like heel portion 25 of concrete is poured, surrounding the reinforcing bars 26, 2.7 and planks 24 and in intimate contact with body portion 13, becoming integral with all of the same.

Continuing the operation, precast concrete planks 28, 29, are set in position and upper portions 30 of piles 11 are poured around them, buttress 31 and coping 32 with reinforcing rods 33, 34 also being poured at substantially the same time to complete a unitary structure integral with the lower portions 12 of piles 11. The poured portions above described will have three hours or more of exposure to air before the returning tide will reach the lowermost portions thereof.

As clearly seen from the drawings, the upper portion of the wall and in particular planks 23, 29 slope landwardly and upwardly and the entire wall is a unitary continuous rigid construction.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device and methodin which the several objects of this inven-. tion are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

The. reason for vthe openings between planks as shown 3 in Fig. 3 is to provide a seepage space and yet hold the soil against coming out.

Those skilled in the constructionof retaining walls and the like will understanda reason for the large area flat heel portion 25 illustrated is to be to engage any soil or sand contiguous the lower surface of the heel and be able thereby to distribute stresses from pressure against outer face of the wall.

tions 25 reinforces the wall against flexure longitudinally of the piles from outside water pressure.

An advantage in the process of this invention resides in elimination of the need for longer, more cumbersome and difiicult to handle, precast piles, or else the elimination of the necessity for costly coffer dams and pumping apparatus where under prior practice, cast-in-place piles have been desired. As shown in the drawing this is the first retaining wall supported entirely by reinforced precast and built up cementitious piles. No supports spaced from the wall are needed. One feature contributing to this new advantage in simplicity of construction is the water seepage passages between planks minimizing the likelihood of a substantial unbalanced force due to the water being higher on one side of the wall than on another. Another feature contributing to that new re sult is the width of the precast pile of Fig. 1 being several times the thickness of the wall planks inserted between the piles. The process of this invention is believed to .be the first to lengthen reinforced cementitious precast piles after being set when such piles are of the type supporting cementitious or other planks be tween pairs of the set piles. By lengthen is meant a build up of a greater amount than is encountered in placing a usual coping on a wall. For example this invention lengthens the original set pile by as much as about 100% of the original length, as shown in the drawing.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of building a water front retaining wall comprised of generally vertically extending rein- T he buttress 31 and rib 15 being in alignment on the landward side of thepiles' and wall of this invention and secured to the heel por-.

length of said lower precast'pile portions by pouring ginning the pouring of said upper end portions at about quarter tide level of ebb tide.

v 3. A process of erecting a water front retaining wall of precast cementitious planks generally normal to and between piles, said process comprising inserting into and beneath a floor for the water precast lower pile portions of less height than the finished wall but of a height when set extending above the level of mean low tide and below mean high tide level, sliding lower planks into grooves in the sides of said precast pile portions and between pairs of said precast pile portions extending to adjacent the tops of said precast pile portions, raising the height of said wall by casting an additional upper pile portion onto the precast pile portions, and adding planks above and generally parallel to said lower planks with their ends secured to upper pile portions, the casting forced cementitious piles and substantially horizontally extending planks, said method including inserting lower precast portions of said piles into a floor for the water with the tops of said lower precast pile portions above low water level and below mean high tide level, sliding the ends of some of said planks into longitudinal grooves in the sides of said precast lower pile portions, placing additional planks above those engaging said lower precast pile portions, said additional planks being arranged to form a space between their longitudinally adjacent ends, in prolongation of said lower precast pile portions, lengthening said lower precast pile portions upwardly an amount equal to at least about a major portion of the length of said lower precast pile portions by pouring upper end portions onto said lower precast pile portions and around the longitudinally spaced ends of said additional planks, and beginning said pouring at about s quarter tide level during an ebb tide.

2. The method of building a water front retaining wall comprised of generally vertically extending reinforced cementitious piles and substantially horizontally extending planks, said method including inserting lower precast portions of said piles into a floor for the water with the tops of said lower precast pile portions above mean low water level and below mean high tide level, sliding the ends of some of said planks into longitudinal grooves in the sides of said lower precast pile portions,

placing additional planks above those engaging said lower precast pile portions, said additional planks being arranged to form a space between their longitudinally adjacent ends, in prolongation of said lower precast pile portions, adding to the length of said lower precast pile portions an amount equal to about"l 00% of the of an upper pile portion being begun after an ebb tide has exposed a top of a precast lower pile portion and being completed before a rising tide has returned to a level at which casting of said additional upper pile portion was begun.

4. A process according to claim 3 in which said precast pile portions are provided on their landward side with a strengthening rib, and casting a buttress in substantial alignment with said rib and when the height of said wall is raised by said additional upper pile portion.

5. A process according to claim 4 in which a heel is cast between said rib and buttress and substantially simultaneously with the casting of said buttress.

6. A process according to claim 3 which comprises casting said additional upper pile portion onto said precast pile portions when an ebb tide is below the top of a set pile and has progressed about 75% of its course whereby the newly cast length will have about three hours to set before a rising tide reaches its lower portions.

7. A water front concrete retaining wall comprising spaced concrete piles each having a landwardly extending rib, a generally horizontal slab-like heel portion on said rib and on each of said piles above the level of mean low tide and adjacent a mid-portion of said pile, precast concrete planks projecting into a recess in each pile on opposite sides, there being an opening for seepage between each pair of planks, each such opening extending longitudinally of said planks, extending below the level of mean low tide and above the level of mean high tide on said pile, a coping on said planks and piles, and a buttress constituting a backing for said planks and pile portions above said heel portion, said buttress rising from said heel portion and being integral therewith and in substantial alignment with said rib on the landward side of said pile.

8. A process of erecting a water front concrete retaining wall comprising setting precast spaced reinforced concrete piles each having an integral rib, said piles each having a length of but a portion of the length of the piles when finished and with the tops of said precast piles extending above the level of mean low tide and below mean high tide level, sliding precast planks into grooves on the sides of said precast piles with said planks extending below the level of the mean low tide, with a seepage space extending longitudinally between each pair of planks, beginning the casting of a generally horizontal heel portion onto the top of each precast pile and on top of said integral rib on a landward side of the pile and in rear of said planks during an ebbing tide when the water level is at about one quarter of the tide height from the level of mean low tide, integrally casting a buttress and an upper portion-of said pile onto said precast portion and rib with said heel References Cited inthe file ofthis patent 1;1c;;t;g1;,ilalcingtadfiiitiorzgl lpliecasfjdggmlfs llgpolll those UNITED STATES PATENTS paceo ave eaera pansasoprovided with similar seepage openings, the piles being Hand lengthened by being cast around the ends of the later 5 1356319 Smulskl 1920 added planks, and pouring a coping on top of said piles 1447254 Lallgwmhy 1923 and planks, at least some of the upper poured portions 1578'861 Squlre '7 1926 being cast during an ebbing tide and in time to take 1663453 H111 1928 a Set b f rising tide reaches it 1,714,949 Colllel' et a1 y 28, 1929 9. A water front retaining wall comprising cementil0 1739108 Webel: 1929 tious planks between cementitious piles, each pile having 1907135 Wemhnger et May 1933 a longitudinal rib on a landward side extending above 1'948'639 Youngberg 1934 mean low tide level, a slab like generally horizontal heel 2,439,606 Hurt 1948 portion carried above and contiguous to said rib in a 2525547 Hayden 1950 central portion of said pile, and a buttress rising from 15 FOREIGN PATENTS said heel portion in general alignment with said rib 110,507 Great Britain Oct. 25, 1917 and integral with said rib and heel portion and an upper 468,510 Germany of 1928 portion of said pile, said buttress and heel portions also 875 815 France July 7 1942 being on the landward side of each pile said planks being provided with water seepage spaces between them OTHER EFERENCES whereby said wall is reinforced by said rib, heel portion, C f October 1929 pages 314,2.

and buttress, and said seepage spaces tend to minimize an unbalanced static head of water on one side of said wall, said planks extending below the level of mean low tide and above the level of mean high tide. 

